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Definition of make an example of in US English:

make an example of

phrase

Punish as a warning to others.

‘To this end, one worker has been picked out, made an example of and punished, together with a member of the factory council who was also dismissed without notice.’

‘I know, you're thinking I'm completely crazy, but as far as I'm concerned, she probably didn't do anything that tons of other people haven't and don't do every day, but she got caught and is being made an example of.’

‘I was fired and made an example of to shut everyone else up.’

‘One of these days my son is going to turn around and clock S. Of course, DJ will be the one to get suspended, be punished, made an example of.’

‘But Lorgun's anger had made his wish to humiliate Bale, to punish him beyond all else, to make an example of what would happen if this uprising were to occur again.’

‘I think I was made an example of in court and the ball has already started rolling for my appeal.’

‘Whilst I applaud the actions of the Devon Pensioners Action Forum who say they will go to jail rather than pay the massive council tax rises I can only see the outcome ending in tears when they are made an example of by the powers that be.’

‘When such cases do come to court there's often a desire to make an example of someone for the deterrent value this might have on other would-be criminals.’

‘This is the sort of thing I like to make an example of.’

‘‘I know in my mind… that what we did was right and we are being made an example of by a colonel who wants to see a certain MP burned and the rest of us are going down also,’ he wrote.’

‘I only hope whoever did this can be caught and made an example of by charging them for the work required to clean up the fountain.’

‘The professional driver is outraged that he's been made an example of while, he says, the borough's fly tippers get away with dumping van-loads of rubbish on verges, in back alleys, and on country roads.’

‘Forgiveness might be something he can hope for in the long term, but in the short term he deserves to be made an example of, and not just by the league in which he plays.’

‘It wouldn't take long to get these youths to realise they couldn't carry on causing trouble once people had been made an example of.’

‘And I think that, you know, probably anyone who you make an example of, you are probably going to mistreat in some way.’

‘But base political motives are bound to flow through town seeking out people to blame and the first questioner of these movements tends to be singled out and made an example of.’

‘Teenagers who do this should be made an example of and so they should have been locked up.’

‘The company had been made an example of and the breaches were made by the old company, and there had been no breaches of significance by the new company - certainly none that came to mind.’

‘But if they do catch him I think he should be made an example of and maybe fewer shopkeepers will feel the need to close.’

‘This was the prudent thing to do but I dare say that had I committed a crime, I would have been arrested and prosecuted and made an example of.’

‘The question on everyone's lips is when someone will be made an example of when he or she is found guilty of abusing public trust for stealing money.’